Assume you have purchased a new USB thumb drive for class. When you plug the thumb drive into the lab Pc, there is no visible response from Windows. In other words, you see no message indicating that a USB storage device has been plugged into the computer.

Question

Propose 5 hypothesis as to why there is no indication that a USB thumb drive was plugged into the computer. Make sure you hypothesis is testable

Make sure you put if it’s symmetric or asymmetric test in the previous question. Justify your answer.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

Here are five testable hypotheses for why there is no visible response from Windows when a USB thumb drive is plugged into a lab PC:

Hypothesis 1: Faulty USB Port

Testable Statement: The USB port on the lab PC is malfunctioning and does not recognize any USB devices.

Test: Plug another known working USB device (such as a different thumb drive or another USB peripheral) into the same port.
Type of Test: Asymmetric Test (only testing port functionality; no comparison to a specific known value).

Hypothesis 2: Faulty USB Thumb Drive

Testable Statement: The USB thumb drive is defective and unable to be recognized by any computer.

Test: Plug the USB thumb drive into a different computer to see if it is recognized.
Type of Test: Asymmetric Test (only testing the drive itself with no baseline established from a successful use case).

Hypothesis 3: Power Supply Issue

Testable Statement: The USB ports are not providing adequate power, resulting in failure to recognize the device.

Test: Connect a USB device that requires a similar power draw (like a USB mouse) and check for recognition. Alternatively, use a powered USB hub and see if it recognizes the thumb drive.
Type of Test: Asymmetric Test (only testing the power supply capability of the port, without establishing a known successful comparison).

Hypothesis 4: Driver Issues

Testable Statement: The USB device drivers on the lab PC are outdated or malfunctioning, preventing the system from recognizing new USB devices.

Test: Check the Device Manager for USB devices, update the drivers, and attempt to plug in the thumb drive again.
Type of Test: Asymmetric Test (testing the system's software and not comparing it to an expected performance level).

Hypothesis 5: Operating System Conflicts

Testable Statement: There is an operating system level conflict or error preventing the detection of USB devices.

Test: Restart the lab PC and check if the drive is recognized afterward. Additionally, checking for system updates or performing a system file check can provide insights.
Type of Test: Asymmetric Test (testing the operating system's detection without comparing it to a standard recognition scenario).

Justification for Choosing Asymmetric Tests

Asymmetric tests were used for all hypotheses because each test focuses on confirming or denying the effect of a single variable (such as equipment malfunction, software issues, or power supply capacity) without directly comparing it to a known standard or control group. The conditions do not measure a variable against a norm but rather evaluate whether the proposed hypothesis holds true based on isolated observations of what happens when certain actions (like plugging in or testing with alternate devices) are carried out.